Oil-can holder.



P. L. LONGYEAR.

OIL CAN HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s, 1913.

Patented July 14, 1914;

Witnesses Attorneys FRED L. LONGYEAR, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

OIL-CAN HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1d, 1914.

Application filed September 8, 1913. Serial No. 788,775.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRED L. LONGYEAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Oil Gan Holder, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in oil can holders, one of the greatest ranges of activity thereof being in connection with automobiles wherein the holder may be rigidly secured to the automobile frame and provides a holder adapted to resiliently engage the side walls of the oil can to hold the same in a rigid manner and prevent the rattling thereof.

.[lmong other objects of the invention might be mentioned the provision of a holder of skeleton outline and formed after the manner of a split ring, the material used being of such a nature as to lend resiliency thereto whereby an oil can may be forced between the ring and resiliently held thereby and at the same time may be easily and quickly detached therefrom.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of my invention is illustrated, in which:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective of my improved oil can holder. Fig. 2 is a side sectional view thereof and showing the manner in which an oil can is positioned therein.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the oil can 3 is of the usual type and as such includes the spherical or domeshaped body portion, the base of which projects outward as at 4:, the projection in question providing a ledge which the prongs of the holder resiliently engage.

The holder is circular in outline to conform with the oil can 3 and is provided with a supporting plate 5 with suitable apertures 6 extending therethrough and which provide means whereby the holder may be rigidly secured to the frame of an automobile or allied mechanism where an oil can is in constant demand and yet there is little available space where the same may be kept. The portion of the holder adjacent the supporting plate 5 is of narrow cross section as illustrated at 7 so that a certain resiliency or spring will be given to the holder at these points which allow the arms generally designated at S and which extend from the division or split 9 to the supporting plate 5 to be forced apart during the positioning of an oil can within the holder and further provide that they will immediately spring again into the retracted position and clamp against the side walls and outstanding ledge l of the can.

Each of the arms 8 which are semi-circular in outline includes the spring portion 7 which is of thin material as illustrated in Fig. l. and which gradually merges into the square front portion 10. Suitable ledges 11 are provided at various points upon the inner walls of the arms 8 and upon which the base of the oil can rests. The arms 8 are provided with three upstanding prongs or lugs 12 which project inwardly as well as upwardly as illustrated in Fig. 2. These prongs 12 are spaced equi-distances apart so that the oil can will be secured at three points equidistantly spaced with one of the said prongs positioned directly above the back of the holder which is juxtaposed the supporting plate 5 and diametrically opposite the division 9.

It is to be noted that the ledges 11 are spaced to one side of the prongs or lugs 12 so that the said prongs will engage the oil can intermediate of its base support. Also by positioning the prongs 12 with one of the same above the supporting plate 5 provides that there will be a lug upon each of the forward portions of the arms 8, which lug or prong will be moved and held in contact with the sides of the oil can by the natural resiliency of the arms 8 imparted thereto by the spring portions 7.

In the practical manufacture of my improved oil can holder the same can be formed as a continuous casting and the division 9 effected by sawing through the metal at this point. In order to place an oil can within my improved holder it is slightly tipped with one portion thereof in contact with the prong 12 which is directly above the supporting plate 5. By revolving the can into an upright position about the ledges ll-above the said prong 12 the ledge 4: of the can will be brought beneath the inwardly and upwardly extendingprongs 12 and snap therebeneath, it being noted that the upper portions of the prongs 12 are beveled outwardlyso that the can can force the arms 8 apart prior to being positioned thereloetween. The oil can having once been positioned between the arms 8 will be held rigidly and securely tl'ioreby, it being noted that there will be no rattling of metal upon metal in my improved holder, which feature is an important point due to the class of service for which my improved oil can is especially adapted.

The foregoing device may be either cast as described or stamped from spring. steel as it will be readily apprectiated. Also the number of supporting ledges may be varied according to the size and style of oil can which is to be held.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim to be new and original with me is 1. An oil can holder comprising supporting plate provided with apertures therethrough for the securing of the same to a supporting structure, semicircular arms with spring portions intermediate their ends carried by said supporting plate, inwardly extending ledges carried by the said arms for the reception of the base of an oil can thereon, prongs carried by the said arms with the inner faces thereof beveled from a central point upwardly and outwardly and downwardly and inwardly, said prongs adapted to engage the side Walls of an oil can and hold the same securely upon the said supporting ledges.

2. An oil can holder comprising a split ring, a supporting plate carried thereby and diametrically opposed to the split portion of said ring, inwardly extending ledges carried by the said split ring and adapted to support an oil can thereoinprongs juxtaposed said supporting plate and spaced a distance therefrom adapted toresiliently engage the flaring side wall and ledge of an 'oil can and with portionsof said ring juxtaposed saidisupporting plate ofirelatlvely wide and thin dimensions to lend resiliency to said] ring 3. An oil can holder comprising a split ring, with the portions of the ring substantially diametric to the said split, of relatively wide andthin dimensions to'lend resiliency to said ring, a supporting plate carried by said-ring. for the securing of the same to a supporting structure, inwardly extending ledges carried'by the ring and adapted to support an oilcan thereon, prongs carried by the said ring and with their inner faces beveled from a central point upwardly andoutwardly, and downwardlyand inwardly, said prongs adapted to resiliently engage the side walls of an oil can to hold the same securely upon the said supporting ledges.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own,lhave hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED L. LONGYEAR.

lVitn eases if R. C. Nnvm, G..R. ALBAUGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained-fol,- five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner oflat'ents Washington, D. 0. 

